Diamond Clarity and Overall Quality

Diamond Clarity and Overall Quality

Diamond Clarity characteristics are an inherent part of a diamond's life, and can arise from events which occurred during its formation deep in the earth, the mining procedures used to collect it, the cutting of rough into its final shape and the wearing of the stone.

These slight "birthmarks of nature" make every diamond quite unique. However, they do affect the beauty and value of the diamond.

These natural birthmarks are often referred to as "inclusions" which are a measure of the surface (blemishes) and internal (inclusions) characteristics of a polished diamond, and has, as does color, a major impact on value.

Obviously, the fewer clarity characteristics a stone has, the more rare, and therefore valuable, it is.

When gemologists inspect diamonds for overall quality, they must determine the diamond clarity. Using a 10x magnification loupe, gemologists determine the size, type, and position of the imperfections.

The types can be:

(FL), Flawless

(IF), Internally Flawless

(VVS1-VVS2), Very, Very Slightly Included

(VS1-VS2), Very Slightly Included

(SI1-SI2), Slightly Included

(I1,I2,I3), Imperfect
Clarity enhancements are performed by bleaching dark inclusions following laser drilling, or where inclusions reach the stone's surface they can be filled with a liquid agent which hardens with the same refractive index as diamond, thus rendering the inclusion largely invisible.

If the original inclusion compromises the stone's durability, subsequent shock to the stone could enlarge the inclusion, thus making it visible. Alternatively, the filler may deteriorate for any number of reasons, changing the clarity appearance of the stone.

Gemological Laboratories will grade diamonds which have laser drill holes with an appropriate note on the report, but will not grade those stones which have had fracture filled, clarity enhanced procedures applied. Fortunately, the material used to fill fractures is quite easily detected.
The unit of weight usually employed for diamonds and other gems is the metric carat, which is equal to 0.2 g (about 0.007 oz). Another unit used to express the weight of diamonds is the point, a weight equal to 0.01 carat. A stone of 82 points would therefore weigh 0.82 carat.

In judging the value per carat of a cut diamond, four criteria must be taken into account. The first is the color and the second is the shaping and proportion of the cut stone. The presence or absence of internal blemishes and flaws and of external chips is the third determinant of a diamond’s value. The diamond’s weight is the final criterion; a stone of 5 carats is worth more than five 1-carat stones of the same quality.

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